Fabulous Facts on the Orchestra

Going out to the Orchestra, Opera, Musical Theatre or Mass is a past time which many people enjoy. Music plays a great part in many peoples lives, whether it is to listen to or take part in. These groups mentioned earlier all consist of an orchestra. So, what is an orchestra?

The word Orchestra comes from ancient Greek. It originally meant the semi-circular space in front of the stage in a theatre where the chorus in a Greek play danced or sang. Later, at the beginning of the seventeenth century when the first Italian Operas were performed, a small group of musicians accompanied the singers and were seated in a similar space in front of the stage. And so the word Orchestra came to mean a body of musicians.

There are various types of orchestras. The group size may be large or small and a conductor usually directs them.

Fabulous Facts on the Orchestra

Large orchestras of around one hundred musicians, are seen in most large cities and perform in a variety of settings. They are often called:
1. Symphony Orchestra because of the symphonies they play which require a large number of musicians. They also play a wide range of other music.
2. Philharmonic Orchestra which means 'loving harmony of music"

Smaller Orchestras come in varying types and styles and include the following:
1. Chamber Orchestra: This orchestra usually consists of about twenty players who can comfortably perform in a large room of a mansion, hence the name. music performed consists of works from the eighteenth century eg from Bach and Mozart, and also more modern works.

2. Small Orchestra: This orchestra is slightly larger than the chamber orchestra and plays more modern works.

3. Theatre Orchestras: These orchestras accompany musical theatre, opera, ballets and can consist of up to sixty players.

4. String Orchestra: This orchestra consists of around twenty string instrumentalists only. Music played is classical and modern.

5. Jazz and Concert Orchestras which play and record light music.

It is interesting to note that a group of wind instrumentalists playing together are usually called a Band eg Symphonic Band

So what are the instruments of a typical Symphony Orchestra?
There are four main groups of instruments which play in a symphony orchestra.

String Instruments take up about two thirds or three quarters of the entire orchestra. They consist of around 32 violins ( first and second ), 12 violas, 10 cellos and 8 double basses plus one or two harps.

Woodwind Instruments consist of flutes, clarinets, oboes and bassoons. There are usually around 2 to 4 players of each of these instruments. One player from each instrument type may double up on a higher or lower version of that instrument eg flute players double up with a piccolo which is a shorter, higher flute.

Brass Instruments consist of trumpets, horns, trombones, tuba(s) and sometimes a cornet. The numbers vary depending on the work performed. Some modern works can use 6 trumpets, 8 horns, 4 trombones and 2or 3 tubas.

Percussion Instruments consist of 4 to 5 players. The instruments are varied and are shaken, rubbed or struck Examples used in a symphony orchestra are the timpani, tam-tam, cymbals, triangle, tambourines and various kinds of drums.

Where do these instrumentalists sit?
A typical symphony orchestra has a seating plan in the shape of a semi-circle ( from the original meaning of Orchestra ) with a conductor in the middle front on a raised stand. The layout can vary according to conductor used.

The violins sit to the left of the conductor in order of first violins near stage edge and second violins next to the firsts. the cellos (stage edge ) and violas sit to the right of the conductor, with the double basses behind. The woodwinds sit in the middle with the flutes ( front ) and clarinets ( back ) to the left and oboes ( front ) and bassoons ( back ) to the right. The brass sit behind the woodwinds. And the percussion sit at the back of the orchestra

What does the Conductor do?
The conductor directs the orchestra with use of a baton and their arms. They indicate to the musicians all sorts of things like music speed, rhythm, expression like loud and soft playing and bringing in the instrumentalists at the correct place. In rehearsal they correct musicians on these aspects. The principal violin, who is the leader of the orchestra, is responsible for the discipline of musicians during rehearsal.

As you can see, there are a variety of orchestras which have varying numbers of people and instruments. A symphony orchestra is just one type of orchestra and consists of a large number of string, woodwind, brass and percussion players. Orchestras usually have a conductor who directs the musicians and give the music spark.

Fabulous Facts on the Orchestra
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Are you an orchestral player and need to update your instrument? Or maybe you want to learn an orchestral instrument. Take a look here.

Are you interested in sheet music? Take a look here.

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Free Sheet Music

Long before radios, movies, television and the Internet popularized music, sheet music made compositions of the good old days popular, or at least, known.

Defined, sheet music is a printed musical composition. Musicians back then publish their songs in these unbound sheets of paper. Performers also used these as they played a musical piece to an audience.

Today, sheet music is still made. However, it is used mainly by musicians such as singers, pianists and guitarists. For many, they are just mere sheets of paper. You will often find old sheet music hidden in piano benches or placed in a box, untouched for ages, collecting dust.

Free Sheet Music

If you are interested in finding old sheet music, you can still see many of them in music stores. You can even find them in several web sites that offer them in computer-readable and easy to download formats. There are sites that sell sheet music for as low as to as much as . There are also sites that allow sharing, downloading and printing of sheet music for free.

Most free sheet music available is sheet music of classical and old songs. This is because the copyrights these old songs and classical music have already expired. In the US, a copyright expires 70 years after the death of the last surviving creator of the music. Furthermore, the law states that those published before 1923 must be in public domain.

There are sites that offer musical scores of popular and latest songs (scores are printed music of all instruments used to play a piece). Usually, the free downloadable and printable sheet music available are only samples and are merely parts of the entire score.

New arrangements and editions of the old songs may have been made. Some of these new versions are freely available while some are sold for a reasonable price. There are also personal sites of music enthusiasts that offer free sheet music of their favorite songs. You can check these sites to look for sheet music of the songs you like.

Free Sheet Music
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Sheet Music provides detailed information on Sheet Music, Free Sheet Music, Piano Sheet Music, Guitar Sheet Music and more. Sheet Music is affiliated with Music Education Theory [http://www.e-MusicEducation.com].

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Promise Rings! Hot Symbols of Commitment Since the 16th Century!

What's all this fuss about promise rings? Are they something new or have they been around for a while? What do they mean and why is my teenager wearing one? If you've ever wondered what the rage is all about, then you've come to the right place!

What exactly is a promise ring?

When an agreement or oath has been made between two people, a promise ring is a piece of jewelry given as a token of the commitment that was made.

Promise Rings! Hot Symbols of Commitment Since the 16th Century!

Sounds simple enough doesn't it? Well, be careful because the promise made between two people can be practically anything. It's imperative that both parties are clear on the meaning of the pact or pledge. For example:
Monogamy: A promise to stay faithful to one another. Chastity or Purity: A promise to keep ones virginity until marriage. Friendship: A promise to seal a pledge of eternal friendship. Substance or Sobriety: A promise to remain free from addictive behavior (alcohol, drugs, food, gambling, etc.). Religious or Christian: A promise to remain committed to one's faith or belief in the God of their understanding.

These are just a few of the more popular reasons to give or wear a promise ring.

Pre-Engagement

That being said, the most popular reason to give a promise ring is for pre-engagement.

Are you confused yet? Pre-engagement is actually not as bad as it sounds. It has always been popular to exchange promise rings, so a couple can showcase their commitment to one another prior to getting engaged. In other words, this ring is symbolic of a promise there will be an engagement ring forthcoming.

If you are old enough to remember "going steady" with someone then giving this type of promise ring is kind of the updated version of going steady. The symbolism of the promise ring is really no different than a girl of years ago wearing her boyfriend's high school ring on a chain around her neck or wearing her steady boyfriend's letterman jacket. If you are too young to understand this analogy, talk to your parents or grandparents and they can enlighten you.

This trial period before the engagement is a good way for a couple to test the waters before they make an actual commitment to marriage. Some may scoff at this gesture of pre-engagement. However, with the rise in divorce rates in this country it may be wise to start off slowly in the relationship instead of rushing ahead into something you are not ready for.

The other good news here is that a promise ring costs significantly less than an engagement ring. It makes a wonderful alternative for the couple who chooses not to spend a fortune on a ring at this time but still wants to make a statement about their commitment to one another.

How does one wear a promise ring - which finger, which hand?

Basically it's strictly a matter of personal preference, however the finger and hand you choose can depend entirely on the type of ring it is and in some cases the type of pledge. For example, an Irish Claddagh ring can have several meanings depending on the way it is:

Worn on the left hand, the wearer has made a promise of love and fidelity. Worn on the right hand with the heart facing outward, the wearer's heart is free. Worn on the right hand with the heart turned inward, the Wearer's heart is taken.

If you are exchanging friendship rings, it may be wise to wear the ring on your right hand so there is no confusion about romantic ties. There are many different types of rings you can share with a friend that will be meaningful to you both. A fun vacation you went on or the love of a certain hobby or animal, for example. My best friend and I share a love of cats. Therefore, we bought matching kitty cat rings, gold with diamond pave no less! These rings are special only to us and are a symbol of our friendship.

Most people associate the wearing of a ring on the left hand ring finger to mean that a significant commitment of some sort has been made.

If the promise is for pre-engagement, many couples choose to wear this ring on their left hand ring finger. They then switch the ring to their right hand once the actual engagement ring or wedding band is received.

Likewise a ring exchanged for the promise of monogamy or fidelity would be worn on the left hand ring finger to symbolize that the wearer's heart is taken.

Where did the promise ring originate?

Rings themselves have been symbolic for many thousands of years. The circle has no beginning and no end and is a strong symbol for eternity.

Have you ever heard of a scribbling ring? In sixteenth century England, uncut diamond crystals were set into rings and exchanged by lovers. The wearers of these scribbling rings would use the points of the diamonds to etch (or "scribble") romantic writings to each other in glass, mirrors or windows.

Another popular ring exchanged during Shakespearian times was called a Posey Ring. Posey rings are inscribed with poetic phrases or dates significant to the wearer.

It is believed that wearing words next to ones skin has a magical effect. These symbolic words may be carved on the outside or inside of the ring, or on both sides, there is no right or wrong way to do it!

Posey rings are a romantic way to share an expression of love and come engraved with beautiful sayings. It is no surprise that since French is said to be the language of love -- the French poseys are very popular. Some special phrases include:

A Ma Vie De Coer Entier - My whole heart for my whole life A Vila Mon Coer, Gardi Li Mo - Here is my heart, guard it well Amor Meus - My Love Autre Ne Veuil - No one, but you De M'Amoure Soiez Sure - Of my love be sure

Ok, so maybe French isn't your thing - how about one of these:
In Gaelic - Anam Cara - Soul Friend In English - I Am My Beloved's & My Beloved Is Mine In Latin - Semper Amenus - Our love is forever In German - Mine Genyst - My heart In Hebrew - Mazel Tov - Marital good luck ring Christian - With This Ring, I Thee Wed In Italian - Mani In Fede - Hands Together in Faith In Spanish - No Tengo Mas Que Darte - I have nothing more to give you but my heart
Use your imagination and write a Posey of your own!

The list of Posey ring sayings is endless! If you really want to "wow" the love of your life, come up with a special phrase that is meaningful to just the two of you. Having a special ring engraved with one of your own poseys would be a very romantic way for you to share your most heartfelt sentiments with a special someone you care about!

Promise Rings! Hot Symbols of Commitment Since the 16th Century!
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Mary Ferguson is a successful writer and internet entrepreneur. She has written many informative jewelry articles on such topics as Promise Ring Significance, and Promise Ring Etiquette.

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Symbolism In Snow White

Snow White is actually an ancient fairy tale, which was documented by the Grimm Brothers in 1812. It has variations in other cultures, but the most well-known version today is likely to be the Disney version.

Many fairy tales seem to be a simple children's story on the surface, but there are messages, morals and symbolism contained within the story. A closer look a Snow White will reveal some messages that you may not have noticed before. Much of the symbolism is Christian based and there are several parallels to stories in the Bible. Other aspects of symbolism are tied to common story lines in traditional fairy tales.

Hand Cymbals

The colors White, Red and Black:

Symbolism In Snow White

The colors presented at the beginning of the story (skin as white as snow, lips as red as blood, hair as black as ebony) provide a direct indication that Snow White is a "coming of age" story. White represents innocence (birth), red represents life and passion, while black represents death. The story of Snow White starts out with Snow White being a young girl in the original versions, and a rather naive young woman in the Disney version (the white phase). She undergoes maturity through the movie (the red phase), and experiences death (in her sleep-like state, the black phase).

No mother:

The absence of the birth mother makes it possible for storytellers to introduce the role of the evil stepmother. The evil stepmother is a common element of many fairy tales: Snow White, Cinderella, Hansel and Gretel. The lack of a mother at all is also common, because if a mother were present, the series of events would not unfold as they do in stories where there is no maternal influence. People have often accused Walt Disney as being a proponent of stories without mothers (it is true that many Disney movies do not have mothers) but Disney re-created classic stories where the mother being dead was already a part of the story development. This element of story telling aims to engage the readers sympathy and it does that very well.

The poison apple:

This would seem to point all the way back to the biblical reference of the apple which was offered to Eve by the serpent (evil/Satan). The evil queen offers Snow White the apple in much the same way. Snow White knows she should not be speaking to strangers, but she does it anyway and she pays for that mistake by falling under the spell.

The significance of seven:

The number seven was used many times in the Bible for signifying perfection. The book of Revelation contains numerous groups of sevens such as angels, churches, trumpets, crowns, mountains, stars, and kings. It is one of the most significant numbers in Christianity in the sense that "God created the world in seven days", or rather he created the world in six days and on the seventh he rested.

The names of the dwarfs:

Some people have thought to correlate the seven dwarfs with the seven deadly sins, but that correlation doesn't hold water. In the Grimm version of Snow White, the seven dwarfs do not have names. In Disney's version of Snow White, the dwarfs do have names but those names were chosen out of sixty or so possible names and they do not correspond to the seven deadly sins. The names of the seven dwarfs are: Dopey, Grumpy, Doc, Happy, Bashful, Sneezy and Sleepy. These names are more aptly "the seven moods of man" rather than sins.

The Seven Deadly Sins:

The Seven Deadly Sins are represented in the story of Snow White, but not in the form of the seven dwarfs.

Pride/Vanity: Clearly the vanity of the Evil Queen. The mirror is clearly a direct reference to vanity.

Lust/Extravagance: Again, the Queen as royalty is extravagant

Gluttony: The seven dwarfs eating (maybe a stretch). Or in the original tale, the Queen actually eats the heart of Snow White.

Greed: The Queen again

Sloth: Originally meant sadness, melancholy,apathy, depression, and joylessness which would distract from attention to god. This applies to the dwarfs after Snow White dies and sloth in the form of sloppiness certainly applies to the seven dwarfs in their manner of housekeeping.

Wrath: The wrath of the seven dwarfs upon the witch after they discover Snow White dead.

Envy: The Queen (again)

The seven deadly sins have opposites in the seven holy virtues: Humility, Chastity, temperance, charity, diligence, patiences, kindness. All of these are characteristics of Snow White.

Resurrection:

Snow White "dies" and comes back to life. This certainly parallels the death and resurrection of Jesus from the Bible.

The hand washing:

The part of the story where Snow White demands that the dwarfs wash could be related to the cleansing of baptism. After the dwarfs have washed, they become people that seem to have a new purpose in life, except for Grumpy who protests the most. Grumpy does undergo a transformation throughout the movie though, from a skeptical dwarf into one that is very devoted to Snow White.

The Work Ethic:

Snow White cleans the little house without prompting and cooks without being asked. The seven dwarfs also are hard at work in the mines (Hey Ho...).

These are a few of the symbols that are the most visible in the story of Snow White, and there are probably some more!

Symbolism In Snow White

Michelle Rahn loves Disney movies. She provides a great deal of information on Disney movies on http://www.disneydvdsearch.com

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The Six Essential Elements of Child Development

As a caring and involved parent, you want to assist your child's development in any way you can. Why not acquire educational toys geared toward encouraging growth in all of the developmental areas? Authorities differ slightly on how to organize these domains. However, a good standard to follow is that set by Drs. Dorothy and Jerome Singer of Yale University, who identify six essential elements of developmental play that can be cultivated through the use of age-appropriate educational toys:
Motor development: the development of gross motor skills that use large muscle groups for activities such as running, kicking, balancing, jumping, hopping, lifting, climbing, and swinging, and the development of more delicate fine motor skills, such as the pincer grip of thumb and forefinger. Eye-hand development and vision: the development of keen powers of perception and of the ability to use the eyes and hands together in coordination to perform a task. Cognitive learning: the development of the ability to learn new knowledge and to process, understand, and apply this knowledge to different ends. Developing this area helps a child improve his or her capacity for mental activities such as reasoning, interpreting, comparing and contrasting, evaluating, judging, inferring, predicting, sequencing, and visualizing. It also helps children master specific content knowledge relating to vocabulary, mathematics, science, and so forth. Hearing, Listening, and Voice: the development of skills relating to the senses and communication. Developing this area allows a child to discriminate between different types of sensory input, processing those that are important and screening out ones that are not. Social/Emotional: the development of skills relating to how one interacts with other people and how one behaves oneself. Creative/Imaginative: the development of skills relating to pretending about the world and using the imagination to explore new ideas and possible solutions to problems.

Which Educational Toys to Get

To develop gross motor skills, look for toys that require large, yet controlled movements from your child. As they begin to stand and walk, provide younger children with wooden push and pull toys. As they gain more control over their muscles, get them wagons, play strollers and shopping carts, tricycles, and kid-powered ride-on cars such as the Plasma Car. Look for toys that develop more specific gross motor skills, such as hopscotch sets (hopping), jump ropes or the Spin Master Stomp Rocket (jumping), or hula hoops (rotating body). Sports equipment also promotes the development of more varied gross motor skills.

The Six Essential Elements of Child Development

To develop fine motor skills, look for toys that require your child to perform precise, controlled hand movements. For example, get lacing cards or activity books or boards that have the child perform life skills such as buttoning, tying laces, zipping, snapping, cutting, and locking and unlocking.

To promote eye-hand development and vision, seek out toys that require children to use keen perception in concert with hand dexterity. For example, get nesting and stacking toys such as the Melissa and Doug Geometric Stacker; blocks and other building sets; peg boards; puzzles; and art activities such as drawing, cutting, painting, sculpting, or lacing beads. Also look for toys that increase your child's sense of perception, such as I Spy books or puzzles that require children to differentiate between different sizes or colors of the same object.

To develop cognitive skills, look for toys that require the use of logic, identifying patterns, finding solutions, and solving puzzles. For example, get games that require children to use clues and deductions to solve problems, such as the classic board game Clue or FoxMind Games's Logix I. Or get science and nature kits that develop children's powers of observation and investigation, such as Battat's Bug Catcher Set. Or get toys and games that teach content skills and problem-solving skills, such as Melissa and Doug's See and Spell. Or get building sets or model sets by makers such as Meccano that require children to think about how pieces can and should fit together.

To develop hearing, listening, and voice, look for toys that appeal to the senses. Get musical instruments such as shakers, drums, whistles, triangle, tambourines, and xylophones to encourage children to play with and compare different sounds. You can also get toys that help children discriminate between different sounds, such as sound puzzles.

To develop social and emotional skills,look for toys that require your child to interact with other people. For example, games such as FoxMind Games' Babylon teach skills like taking turns and good sportsmanship. Building toys such as wooden unit block sets or Legos encourage skills such as cooperation and sharing as children work together to construct something.

To develop creativity and imagination, look for toys that encourage your child to create things or to pretend or role-play scenarios. For example, Uberstix construction systems can be used to build an infinite variety of structures. Art and craft supplies give children practice with making things. Dolls, dollhouses, Battat toy vehicles, and toy dinosaurs can all be used as props to make up stories and recreate real-life scenarios. Costumes, props, and copies of real-life objects can all also be used in imaginative play.

The Six Essential Elements of Child Development
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About Kids Toy Club
Kids Toy Club is an online provider of educational toys that is dedicated to adding value to the money its customers spend. Understanding that educational toy purchases are an investment in a child's future, Kids Toy Club makes the effort to provide quality products and useful information about the relationship between toys and child development.

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Magic Symbols - How to Create Your Own Powerful Magical Symbols

When practicing magic there are many different elements involved. A sacred space or hallowed place to perform the magic is sometimes important. The tools that are necessary such as wands, crystals, stones, or a mirror for scrying. Some magical workings require herbs or other plant materials such resins. There is usually an incantation of sorts depending on the particular magical working. All of these are important elements used in various magics but none are more ancient or powerful than the symbols that are used.

There are an infinite number of magical symbols that can be utilized for an infinite number of workings. You may be scratching your head and wondering how that is possible, but I am not just referring to the dusty old symbols that already exist and have been utilized for centuries. Some of the most powerful magical symbols are the ones that we create ourselves for our own personal magical use. True magic is a creative art form and should be practiced as such. When you create your own magical symbols and empower them with your will and spiritual energy, you are tapping the most powerful source of magic. It comes from within and flows from your Higher Self.

Your Higher Self is speaking to you all of the time. It not only speaks to you within your dreams but it can also guide you through your daily life. You must be willing to listen to its voice and hear the truth of its words. The Higher Self takes on many different forms and it is represented uniquely to everyone. We all have our own system of beliefs and it communicates to us through the patterns of these beliefs. Communication with the Higher Self can be achieved through mediation but it needn't take place within the mind alone. Sometimes your Higher Self can communicate through the synchronicity of events within our everyday life. It is through developing a healthy connection with your higher self that you can facilitate the creation of your own powerful magic symbols.

Magic Symbols - How to Create Your Own Powerful Magical Symbols

Sometimes these symbols of magical power may come to you while you are dreaming. This is another one of the many good reasons for keeping a detailed dream journal. If you keep an accurate journal of your dreams you can draw any of the symbols that you may see while dreaming within your journal along with a detailed description of the dream itself. Other elements of the dream may be used as a clue to the relevance of the symbol and the nature of the power it channels.

Another way of creating your own magical symbols is through automatic writing or in this case, automatic drawing. You will need a blank sheet of paper and a pen. I use a sketch pad. Sit comfortably in a dimly lit room with the pen in your hand and the paper beneath it. Clear your mind. It helps if you achieve a light trance by meditating a bit just before attempting this. Allow you hand to move across the paper involuntarily. At first you may get nothing but scribbles and random lines, but don't give up. You mustn't allow yourself to consciously think about what you are doing. With practice you will begin to draw symbols which at first will look primitive and crude but over time they will increase in quality and sophistication. Eventually, you begin to see the symbols in your mind's eye before you draw them. In the beginning you probably won't be able to make sense of the symbols but eventually, over time, the meaning of them will become clearer. It may take a very long time and several years of practice but eventually you may begin to utilize the symbols magically.

The easiest way to create personal magical symbols is by visualizing and drawing them in the same way that you would any other form of art. You can easily create and empower your own personal magical symbols. The power to create them lies within.

Magic Symbols - How to Create Your Own Powerful Magical Symbols
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Miles Tyler has over 11 years of experience helping others to realize their psychic potential. Discover how you can awaken and begin developing your psychic powers in as little as nine days even if you have no experience. You can also claim a free chakra report.

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What Instruments Are Found in a Samba Band? Brazilian Percussion Instruments

A samba band usually contains surdos, caixas, repiniques, tamborins and shakers. They can also use timbas, chocalhos, and agogos.

AGOGO (Ah-goh-goh)

This is typically a double metal cowbell with a flexible handle. The two bells have different tuning. The agogo is held in one hand and hit with a stick held in the other hand. Most experts hold the agogo with the hand is holding the bell, not the handle - this gives the bells a duller tone, which is the right sound for samba.It is thought to be one of the oldest instruments in a samba band; before it was introduced in samba it was used to provide the structure of Baiao, Maracatu, Capoeira and religious cults of African origin. A newer form of Agogo is a big heavy iron 4 bell model.

What Instruments Are Found in a Samba Band? Brazilian Percussion Instruments

BERIMBAU (ber-im-bough)

The berimbau is a wooden or bamboo bow with a metal string, and a gourd which acts as a soundbox. You hit the metal wire with a wooden stick and move the berimbau away from and towards the body to change the tone of the soundbox. The sound this produces is unique, and often used for special effects. This is a very ancient instrument, In Brazil it is most used in Afro Brazilian rhythms from the North East, especially Capoeira, but it has found a place in Jazz and other modern musics because of its unique sound. It is not usually used in samba bands.

CAIXA DE GUERRA (Cash-ah)

Samba snare drum. The caixa is a descendant of the european marching drum, but it has been adapted to be much lighter. The caixa is a metal cylinder with a nylon skin at both ends and a string snare across the top of the playing end. The best caixas are made from aluminium. Caixas can be of various widths and depths; the standard sized caixa used in Rio baterias is 12" wide by 15 or 20cm deep.

CHOCALHO

This is a metal or wooden frame carrying many metal jingles. It is a VERY LOUD samba shaker. This is a fundamental element in the flavour of a large samba percussion ensemble, and also has an important function in helping the caixas to sustain the rhythm. Famously described by the Times of London as 'a cross between an abacus and a tambourine'

CUICA

The cuica is a friction drum. It has a metal culindrical body with a hide skin at one end, and a stick secured to the centre of the skin protruding back through the body of the drum. The cuica is played by rubbing the stick with a damp cloth. It sounds like a series of moans - and is said to imitate the sound of a monkey, and to have been used in hunting by Brazilian Indian tribes. Traditionally used by samba schools; it produces an exotic sound which changes the timbre of the bateria. A real cuica has a hide skin with a thick aluminium body and must be tunable. Serious cuicas are 30cm deep and between 8 and 10" wide; anything smaller is really just a toy and will not be heard in a samba band.

GANZA

A hollow closed cylindrical shaker, varying from pocket sized to arm length, and single or double. The ganza is much quieter than a chocalho and isn't used much in big Brazilian baterias as it can't be heard. But it is still widely used in small groups and in teaching. An instrument of traditional importance in baterias where it used to have the same function as a chocalho.

MARCACAO

A term referring to the surdos, which are the big drums that mark the beat.

PANDEIRO (pan-der-oo)

A small light instrument, like a tambourine, but with a different sound. The head is hit with great skill, using a combination of taps, slaps, rim shots and rolls. A skilled pandeiro player can replicate almost anything a drum kit can do. Pandeiros can have wooden, plastic or fiberglass frames and brass or metal jungles, and plastic or hide heads. In samba the pandeiro is used both for rhythmic backing and as a solo instrument. Much used in bands playing many different styles of Brazilian music, in Samba Schools and in Capoeira.

REPINIQUE

The repinique or repique is a lightweight samba kettle drum, with nylon skins at both ends. The best samba repiniques are made from aluminium for both sound quality and lightness, although you can find repiniques made of iron or even wood. In Rio samba it is played with one wooden stick, with the other hand slapping the drum. The repinique should not have more than 8 single struts; any more both deaden the sound and do not leave enough space for the hand to slap the drum without hitting the lugs. 6 lugs are preferred in Rio. In other styles of Brazilian music the repenique is played with a pair of flexible plastic 'whippy' sticks. The repinique was introduced into Rio baterias in the 1950's. Its function is to complement the tamborims and to support the surdos. It is also used as a solo and lead instrument, with its solos supplying the correct speed for the entrance of the other instruments.

REPIQUE DE MAO - this is a special hand repique developed especially for pagode . It has a metal body and a nylon skin at one end only.

SURDO

The surdo is a big bass drum, which holds the beat for the rest of the group. Surdos have heads at both ends. In Rio hide heads are used. The best surdos for marching samba bands have aluminium bodies as these are light and sturdy. Surdos can also be found with wooden bodies (fragile) and iron bodies (heavy). The surdo is considered the heart of the bateria, and is responsible for marking and maintaining the beat of all the other instruments. The First or Primeiro surdo hits strongly on the beat, and the second or segundo hits on the second part of the beat, responding to the primeiro.

TAMBORIM

This is a little frame drum with a 6" nylon skin, and should be tunable. Originally made in a quadrangular shape and with skin head. This little drum is held in one hand and played with a special flexible stick (vareta) and in samba it is used to highlight the strongest parts of a tune, providing punctuation for the melody. The first Brailsin tamborins were octangular and covered in hide. There is a legend that they used to be covered in cat skin, but as this is fragile and tears easily, the legend may not be true. One tamborim is spelt with an 'm', but the plural is tamborins.

TAN TAN - a long tapered drum with a hide or Napa head at one end. Used to take the place of a surdo in a small samba group or pagode session. Played sitting down, resting on the player's lap. The skin is hit with one hand whilst the body is tapped with the other.

TAROL

The tarol is a slim line samba snare drum typically no more than 10cm deep. From the same family as the caixa da Guerra, it has a determining influence on the rhythmic identity of a bateria. It is often used for playing up on the shoulder; instead of being supported by a belt at waist level it is cradled in one arm, high up at chest level.

THIRD SURDO

The third surdo is a smaller surdo. This is the cutting surdo, also known as the Surdo Centrador, or Cutador, and is used with creative freedom but remains responsible for the swing of the bateria. It fills in the spaces between the first and second surdo beats.

TIMBA - a conical drum made of fiberglass, metal or wood with a plastic head at one end - a marching drum. Adult sized timbas are usually 70 or 90cm deep - short people should use the 70cm timba. The timba is played upright, using plastic flexible whippy sticks or drumsticks, or can be played by hand too. It is used in styles from North Eastern Brazil, such as samba reggae. Although this is a traditional drum it was almost obsolete in Brazil until Carlinhos Brown reinvented it for his band Timbalada in the 1980s.

WHISTLE

The traditional Brazilian samba whistle is a 3 tone whistle made of wood. Genuine ones are very loud and can be heard easily over 30 or 40 drummers. The whistle is used to scatch the attention of the drummers and to regulate the speed of the samba band. But a 3 tone samba whistle can also be used as an instrument in its own right.

What Instruments Are Found in a Samba Band? Brazilian Percussion Instruments
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To find out more information about Brazilian samba drums and other Brazillian instruments and to see pictures of all of these percussion instruments, visit http://www.tdsounds.co.uk, and click on the various instruments.

* Giselle Winston has been playing samba for 20 years, in various samba schools in Rio de Janeiro and the UK, and is one of the founders of Paraiso School of Samba in London. She is joint director of Traditional Sounds of Samba Ltd (TDSounds) and has been selling samba drums (mainly in the UK) since 2001. She can be contacted on ++44 (0)208 601 7131 or at info at tdsounds.co.uk.

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